


Her Guardian

by shnuffeluv



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Arguing, Dating, F/F, Minor Amy Pond/Rory Williams, Minor Character Death, Minor River Song/Thirteenth Doctor, Oral Sex, Parent/Child Incest, Polyamory, Vaginal Fingering, Wings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:33:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27623435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shnuffeluv/pseuds/shnuffeluv
Summary: River gets pulled away from a day out on the town to find that she has a secret assignment.
Relationships: Amy Pond/River Song
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2
Collections: Heart Attack Exchange 2020





	Her Guardian

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheseusInTheMaze](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheseusInTheMaze/gifts).



When River woke up, her head was throbbing and she could feel something heavy pressing into her back. She didn't dare open her eyes just yet. After all, if she had escaped from prison and didn't remember how she woke up, this could go one of two ways: one, she was back in her cell (unlikely, because she knew every guard working there and she would have recognized them in a crowd _long_ before they spotted her), or two, she was in major trouble that she didn't know how to get out of just yet.

A door opened somewhere nearby and she could feel light fall onto her face. "It's time to get up, Miss Song," an unfamiliar voice informed her. "Your vital signs indicate that you are, in fact, awake."

That didn't bode well for her. She opened her eyes and observed the man in front of her. Prim and proper, wearing a nicely pressed suit. His hands were manicured, his hair styled, and he looked like not a single thing was out of place or could _ever_ be out of place about him. River would love to take that as a challenge, but something told her if she tried, she would be knocked out again and have to wait for a longer time to get some more information on where she was. So she pushed herself up off the floor. Oddly enough, the weight she had felt when she first woke up stayed with her. When she went to stand, the only reason she didn't fall flat on her back was the years of practice she had of dealing with fighting the unexpected. The weight was still on her, and appeared to be connected to her, in some way that she couldn't explain.

The man was walking away, and River followed him. They walked down nondescript gray hallway after gray hallway. Finally, they reached a space with big bay windows, showing lots of stars and planets around them. They were in space. Okay, she could work with that. She moved toward the glass, and startled when she saw her reflection. There was something about it...maybe the way she looked completely unharmed despite just waking up in a place with poorer conditions than her cell in prison, maybe it was the way she had clothes on that she had never remembered having before...but most likely, it was the soft, downy wings that appeared to be attached to her back. She tried stretching them curiously, and was rewarded with a better, stretched out look at them. They were mostly snowy white, with black tips. Swan's wings. She found some sort of appreciative irony in that. Beautiful, but exceedingly deadly. She turned to the man, who was watching her. "I suppose you're responsible for these?" she asked.

"I wasn't in favor of it, but the higher ups, well...they saw something in you that I did not, Miss Song."

"Never judge a book by its cover," River teased.

The man was unruffled. "Aren't you curious at all about why you are here?"

"I prefer to find these things out on my own, rather than being told," River said simply. "Why? Am I ruining your fun?"

"We don't have the time to waste," the man said simply. "Now. Are you going to listen to me? Or do I have to place you in holding again and wait for you to listen?"

He knew what he was doing. Smart man. Not nearly as smart as her husband, but that wasn't the point. "What do you want from me?" she asked him.

"You, Miss Song, have been selected for the Guardian Angel program," the man intoned. "We take those close to death and we utilize their capabilities for keeping those in the universe who need to be protected, safe."

"Everyone in the universe needs to be protected to some degree," River said. "Protected from themselves? Protected from external threats? What do they need protection from?"

"That varies," the man said simply. "But we take care of the elite in the whole of time and space, those who are most important."

"Everyone is important," River said. This man was decidedly getting on her nerves.

"Perhaps," the man said, and River was learning to hate him, "But some are more important than others."

"And if these people are oh-so important, then why can't they have the ability to take care of themselves?!" River snapped. "If you're talking about being a glorified security guard for some rich man who just wants to squander his wealth instead of helping people, I'm uninterested."

The man pulled a screen up out of thin air and hit some buttons on it, before showing River a live feed of Amy puttering around her kitchen. "This woman is your assignment," the man said. "Like it or not, your job is to protect her."

River kept her face impassive. She had to pretend like she didn't know her own mother, in order to make sure no one would try and come after her. "Why her?" she asked.

"She helps one of the most important men in the whole of time and space," the man said. "The higher-ups decided you would be perfect to keep her safe."

River swallowed. Most certainly the people higher up the chain knew who she was, but this man certainly didn't. And she'd rather keep it that way. "What's her name?"

The man tapped a few buttons, before simply saying, "Pond. Amy Pond."

River nodded faintly. "All right, then," she said. "Are her threats internal, or external?"

"External," the man said. "There are very many people in the galaxy, never mind the universe, who would like to see her dead. You need to ensure that doesn't happen."

But River knew. She knew that wouldn't be able to be possible. She had seen her mother's gravestone, not all that long ago. Her eyes were growing hot, but she forced the tears back. "For how long?" she asked.

"As long as it takes," the man responded simply. "Until the Doctor can find another person to travel with, you will be responsible for keeping his companions safe."

"Plural?" she asked.

"This one does appear to have a...husband," the man said with disdain. "And we can't afford to send two people there to keep tabs on them. It's too suspicious."

"So is someone walking down the street with angel wings," River said, crossing her arms. "I don't suppose you thought that far ahead with disguises?"

The man squinted at her. "Plenty of people have wings, Miss Song."

"Perhaps, but I recognize Earth when I see it. And with the technology that woman is using, it can't be later than the twenty-second century. Aliens are only just being discovered. To see someone with wings in their midst is to start incomprehensible fear in everyone who sees that person. You need to find a way to keep these hidden," she said, gesturing to the wings.

The man gazed long and hard at her. "You know an awful lot about this time and place," he said.

River shrugged. "What can I say? I'm fond of history."

The man shook his head. "Just my luck," he muttered. "Why do they always give me the history buffs?"

"Perhaps you're being punished," River teased.

The man glared at her. "Follow me. We will get something suitable for you to wear."

River smiled flirtatiously at the man, who simply grumbled and gestured for River to follow him. "Is there anything I can call you?" she asked him. "After all, you haven't introduced me to yourself yet, and I'd rather like to know who I'm working with."

"My codename is Gabriel," the man responded.

"Gabriel," she said, rolling the name over her tongue. "All right. Tell me, Gabriel, how much do you know about the fashion of the twenty-first century of Earth?"

"Not a whole lot," Gabriel said stiffly. "However, I have done my research—"

"—No, no. If you try and do research on the beginning of the twenty-first century, never mind the second half, you'll never figure out what is and isn't socially acceptable," River said, waving a hand around. "Why, there are people in the twenty-first century of Earth that believe that vaccines cause what they call autism—and the rest of the universe calls Soinital's. They're not very understanding of that specific developmental disorder quite yet, but they do get there eventually. Not within the twenty-first century, though, and that's your problem. Too much misinformation to sift through."

"Your point, Miss Song?" Gabriel asked.

"I will be picking out my own clothes, and under no circumstances are you to fit me in a skirt or dress that doesn't show anything above the ankle," River said with deathly seriousness in her voice.

Gabriel rolled his eyes but continued down into a hallway that led into an expansive walk-in closet. River smiled. So many potential options for her to wear, so many personas she could take on when around Amy; and so little time. She worked on taking off her current dress and Gabriel sputtered, slamming the door to the closet shut. She wandered around, looking for the perfect outfit as she stepped out of her dress. She didn't want to go over-the-top, but she did want something that was appropriately sexy. She always enjoyed teasing Amy, and she knew that Amy had taken a notice to it before. The main question was whether or not she would know the truth about their relationship when they saw each other next.

River decided on a high-waisted black skirt, and a white crop top with red and yellow stripes going across the breast. She would look presentable in most situations, but undeniably showed enough skin to have a little bit of fun with her mother. When she attempted to put on the shirt, she was surprised to find that the wings fit under it. _They have dimensional technology,_ she realized. And that made these people very dangerous indeed. They were not the type of people you wanted to owe anything to.

After picking out an appropriate pair of shoes, she walked back out of the closet. Gabriel, still red in the face, was waiting on her. "Good. You're done," he said stiffly. "We need to send you out now."

River pouted. "Oh, so soon?" she mocked.

"Miss Pond is in trouble," Gabriel snapped. "And you're in charge of dealing with it."

"Then send me there," River said. "I'll be able to help her."

"Just one thing before we do," Gabriel said, grabbing her arm and pulling her close. He whispered in a dangerous voice, "The corporation owns you now. Understand? You are not to do any fraternizing, any travelling, anything besides your mission without our explicit say-so. We are in charge of you and you are not to forget that."

Chills ran down River's spine as she wrenched her wrist away. "Fine," she said. "Now let me go do my job."

The man handed her a temporal watch which she used to head to Amy's house. She materialized just in time to see an alien with dark blue skin grab a knife from the kitchen counter and raise their arm over their head. River reached for her belt only to realize she left it on the station. _Shit,_ she thought. She looked around, grabbing a vase from the nearest table and running forward, smashing it into the alien's head. Evidently, they didn't have a very thick skull, as the shards pierced into their brain and they dropped dead. Amy was standing there in shock, looking down at the dead body before looking up at River. "Was that my Nan's vase?" she asked.

"Don't know," River said. "Does it matter?"

"Not really," Amy said. "What are you doing here?"

"I was in the neighborhood, and I thought I would drop by," River said.

"No, seriously," Amy said. "How's the Doctor? Is he in trouble?"

"Not that I know of," River said. "I genuinely just wanted to say hello."

"Oh. Well, hello," Amy said.

River smiled softly and Amy offered her a shy one back. "How's Rory?" River asked.

"He's okay. I talked to him recently, actually," Amy said. "About you and me."

"Oh?" River asked.

"Yeah," Amy bit her lip. "He said he was okay with me...experimenting. If you were okay with it as well."

She didn't know yet, then. "I'd love that," River said, flashing her a brilliant smile. "Coffee?"

"Not today, I'm so busy with everything and I definitely won't be done before nightfall and—"

"—I can help," River offered. "If that's what you want."

"You'd rather do anything else but do boring paperwork, I bet," Amy said.

River inwardly winced. Amy wasn't wrong, but did she have to point it out? "I do want to help you," she said truthfully. "Especially if you've got time for coffee afterwards because of it."

Amy sighed. "Well, it would be better with help..."

River ran a hand down Amy's arm and grabbed her hand. "Then let me help you," she said.

The two of them sat down and Amy went over all the paperwork she was doing. River was mostly checking out during the explanations. She knew how to do most of it, and the stuff she didn't know how to do, Amy could do. They divided the paperwork in half, and River did hers within twenty minutes. Amy finished hers up in forty five, and while Amy was still working, River had tidied the kitchen, the bedroom, and had made use of the bathroom to freshen up a bit for her date. She realized she was shaking as she teased her hair, and she took a deep breath. It was fine, this was fine. Amy probably wouldn't find out about their familial status for a while yet, and River could enjoy her company until then. Afterwards? Well...that was up to Amy, she supposed. But River wouldn't be surprised if Amy never wanted to see her again, and that corporation that had apparently saved her from some untimely demise sent her back to that demise.

It was strange, though. She had never considered what might happen to kill her. But she knew she would never grow old. Whatever had happened to lead up to that point, though, had to be unpleasant. And nothing she had gone through while adventuring through a intergalactic market had been unpleasant. If anything, it had been too quiet, too nice. She didn't know what to make of it. Had they attempted to send someone to kill her? Was it all orchestrated by this corporation? She wouldn't put it past them to rely on their workers to be grateful for saving them from death that the corporation had planned.

Amy knocked on the bathroom door and called, "River? Are you ready?"

"Just a tic, dear!" River called back. She fixed her hair and blew out a breath. Now was not the time to think about that. Now was the time to focus on her date.

Opening the door, River flashed Amy another smile and said, "Any places you had in mind for coffee?"

* * *

They walked to a local café nearby and River was surprised by how few people were there. "It's rather quiet," she said.

"It is," Amy agreed. "That's why I like it."

River nodded. "So how has everything been lately? Hear much from the Doctor?"

"No," Amy admitted. "It's a little frustrating. Although, I'm also slightly relieved."

"Relieved?" River asked, shifting a little closer to Amy. "Why?"

"I got a false positive pregnancy test," Amy said. "Just a little while ago. I told the Doctor in a rush but when I came back home and did another test, it came back negative."

River swallowed. She had a lot less time than she thought to enjoy the domestic moments with Amy, if she was in the Flesh. But that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy being with her. Amy was controlling the body she was using. All her thoughts, feelings, everything...that was still her. And she might find out a little sooner than River would like, but that just meant that she had to make the most of the time she had.

They chatted a little more about the Doctor, but then conversation moved into more personal territory. Was River seeing anyone? Seriously or not? How was Rory treating Amy? How were any friends reacting? "Does Rory know you thought you were pregnant?" River asked.

"No," Amy admitted. "I was gonna tell him...but then the test came back negative. And I didn't want him to worry, or think that I miscarried because of our going along with the Doctor or anything. I just wanted to enjoy the time we have together. And I know he wants kids, he'd be devastated if I had told him and the test had come back negative." Amy paused. "Honestly, I would like a little girl one day. But I don't know if that would be soon or not."

River's stomach flipped. "I'm sure you'll find out one day, and it will be an absolute delight," she said with a sincere smile.

Amy smiled back. "It would be a little tough, though. Explaining to a little one about how polyamory works."

"I don't think so," River said. "This is Mummy's husband, and this is Mummy's girlfriend. And Mummy loves them both very much. Most people might only love one person, but that's okay too."

"When you say it like that, it sounds so simple," Amy scoffed.

"Things don't have to be so complicated, Amy," River said. "Whoever you love, just love them. That's the most important thing."

"I suppose..." Amy said uncertainly. "I don't know, though. It's all...so uncertain. And I wouldn't want her to get picked on at school for it."

"Then I could be an aunt in front of her," River offered. "And we're just very close friends. Then, whenever she's gone, we can go on dates and kiss and do those sorts of things. Or else we could just teach her to hit back."

Amy choked on her coffee in shock. "River!" she exclaimed.

River just smirked. "Are you saying you wouldn't want her to fight back?" she asked.

"Of course not," Amy said. "I just didn't expect to hear that coming from you."

"There's a lot you don't know about me, sweetie," River said with a wink.

"Clearly," Amy laughed.

The two of them continued to talk for a while, well through the afternoon until the sun was setting. "I should go," Amy said.

River felt disappointment bloom in her chest. "I suppose you should," she said.

Amy looked down, before looking up at River again. "Would you like to stay at my place for the night?" she blurted.

River was surprised. She hadn't expected Amy to be that bold, but then again, plenty of things about Amy were unexpected. "I'd love to," River said. "And maybe I could get a flat around here for when I'm in the year. I could easily pick you up and bring you over if Rory doesn't want to see us."

Amy chuckled nervously. "He said he was okay with it, but something tells me he does want me to come back to him."

"No reason that you can't have us both," River said. "Would you like me to talk to him? Explain a little more about polyamory? I'd be happy to."

"I shouldn't ask that of you," Amy said.

"It's fine, Amy," River assured. "All I want to do is make sure that the both of you are comfortable. If Rory needs a little more explaining, I'm happy to do it."

Amy sighed. "Fine," she said. "But I want to be in the room with you. Just to make sure you're not threatening him into silence."

"I would never dream of it," River assured her.

They walked back to Amy and Rory's, and Rory was in the kitchen, looking dead on his feet. He startled when he saw River. "Oh! River. Nice to see you," he said.

She smiled back at him. "Likewise," she said.

"The Doctor know you're here?" Rory asked.

"No, I'm on my own this time," River said smoothly. "I just wanted to check in on you and Amy."

"We went out for coffee," Amy explained softly.

"Oh! Great," Rory said. "That's...really great. Yeah. Have fun?"

"We did," River said. "But I was hoping to talk to you a little more about this. Make sure you were okay with it, and all."

"Uh...sure?" Rory asked hesitantly.

"Don't worry, Amy will be in the room too. I'm not just going to blindly threaten you. Not without your consent," River teased.

Amy whacked her lightly and River resisted the instinct to jump at the electric touch. "River," Amy chastised.

River shook off her uncertainty, and said, "Shall we start?"

Rory nodded.

River patiently explained the basics of polyamory. "Amy doesn't love you any less for wanting to love someone else, too. She just wants to love more than one person at a time, and that's okay. It's like having more than one friend at a time," she said. "And I'm the same. I can love more than one person at the same time. In fact, I'd argue that most people are like that to some degree, and just don't realize that polyamory is an option."

Rory leaned against the counter for a minute, before turning to Amy. "Is this true?" he asked her.

"I don't love you any less," Amy said solemnly. "I love you just as much as I did when we were kids. But I also have something with River. And I want to see where that something goes."

Rory thought about it. "Does this mean...I would be allowed to date someone else, too?"

"Do you want to?" Amy asked.

"Not right now," Rory said. "But it doesn't seem fair for you to be able to date other people but not me."

"Oh, yeah, no," Amy said. "Of course you're allowed to date other people if you want to, what do you take me for?"

Rory shrugged. "I was just curious, is all," he said.

Amy nodded. "You can date someone else, or more than one someone else," she said. "Fair is fair. But I love you just as much as I love anyone else in the world. And I still want to have a family with you, travel with you, do everything I can with you. I just might want to share that with River as well."

River smiled encouragingly. "And if you ever have any questions, Rory, you're allowed to ask. Just understand that I'm allowed to ask those same questions to the two of you as well."

Rory nodded. "Makes sense," he said simply.

They stood there in silence a moment, everyone waiting for someone else to speak. River blew out a breath. "I should leave you two lovebirds for now," she said. "After all, I need to find a flat nearby for a bit, if I'm staying in this century most days."

"You can borrow my laptop and take the guest room," Amy said with a handwave.

River nodded and left the room. She was thankful that whatever corporation she worked for had taken care of the alien corpse before Rory had come home. Grabbing Amy's laptop upstairs, she went to the guest room with a sigh, opening the laptop and staunchly ignoring the flash of light that appeared after she closed the door. "You remember what I said?" Gabriel growled, clearly displeased.

"Which thing? You said so many," River responded flippantly.

"You're not supposed to fraternize with those you protect!" Gabriel whisper-shouted. "That's far from okay!"

River shrugged. "I don't really care for your rules," she said. "I'll keep Amy and Rory safe. That's all you need me to do. What I do in my downtime is not any of your business."

"You _have_ no down time," Gabriel growled. "You need to keep an eye on them twenty four seven so that they aren't hurt!"

"How exhausting," River said. "Obviously I'll keep a baby monitor on them, but I need to sleep sometime. I'm only human."

"We both know that you're more than that," Gabriel said.

River rolled her eyes. "Come on," she scoffed. "Regardless of what species I am, I need sleep."

Gabriel ran his hands down his face. "This is why I was so against this idea," he scoffed. You humans are so fickle to work with. Any being that needs sleep is impossibly difficult to work with."

River shrugged. "At least I'm home with them for the night?" she offered.

Gabriel scoffed. "If you don't get your act together, you'll be terminated," he warned.

"And what, you'll kill me?" she asked.

"If we deem it necessary, yes," Gabriel said. "We will restore your memories of recent events and send you back to the moments before your death."

River sighed. "Something tells me you would do that no matter what."

"No matter which way your assignment ends, through death or success, _when_ your assignment ends, you will be sent back," Gabriel said. "How many assignments you get through before that happens is entirely up to you."

River inwardly rolled her eyes. With someone like Gabriel overseeing her, there was no way she would get more than one assignment. "Will you let me rest now?" she asked.

Gabriel disappeared with a sneer and River looked at flats in the area. When she found one she liked, she went about sorting out payment, using her old identity as Mel and transferring her accounts to her new alias. It was simple enough once you knew how to do it, and the Kovarians were _very_ good at hiding whatever evidence they needed. As such, River knew everything she needed to in order to set up a small flat in her name, order some clothes online, and ship them to the new address, which she could move into tomorrow.

Amy knocked on the guest room door. River looked up at her with a smile. "Everything okay?" Amy asked.

"Perfect," River said. "Why do you ask?"

"The Doctor showed up and he wants to take us around the universe a bit," Amy said, tilting her head towards the TARDIS. "Want to come along?"

"I'm all right," River said, curls bouncing as she shook her head. "Tell the Doctor I say hello, though."

"I will," Amy said with a grin.

River felt her stomach sink. If the Doctor was taking them away now, odds were more than likely that they were about to find out Amy was pregnant and not actually here. She went to bed with her stomach in knots, resolving that she would move into her flat in the morning, and work on a cover story for Gabriel on why, exactly, Amy had disappeared when River was supposed to be watching her. Although, technically, if she was with the Doctor when he left, River could probably stall for time. And she had only started her job today, so she couldn't be blamed for anything that happened before that...

* * *

River was set up in her flat a week later when there was a very loud pounding on her door. "River, open up right now!" Amy demanded through the wood.

Immediately, River's stomach sank. She knew that Amy had found out the truth. She had remembered Rory shouting incoherently when he found out, and Amy looking like she was going to cry. She had demanded that the Doctor take them home right after she had found out, but River never knew until know what exactly had come after that conversation.

She got up and answered the door before Amy could start pounding on it again. Amy stormed in silently and River just watched her. After River closed the door, Amy paced around the flat. "You knew," she said, fury in her voice. "You _knew_ that I was your mother. And you asked me out for a date anyway. You let me love you."

"Amy—"

"—You knew. Didn't you?!" Amy demanded.

River sighed silently. "Yes," she admitted.

Amy shook her head. "What am I supposed to do with you?!" she asked, staring up at the ceiling. "I can't date you River, not if you're my daughter!"

"Why not?" River asked. "We're both consenting adults."

"It's not right!" Amy exclaimed. "I'm your _mother!"_

"And that doesn't stop me from loving you. And I suspect, if you're this angry, it doesn't stop you from loving me either, right?"

Amy glowered at River, tears shining in her eyes. "Don't do this to me," she growled. "Don't do this. Not here. Not now."

"Rory said no, didn't he?" River asked.

"He needed a break. He's moving out of our place to have some time to think," Amy spat. "And it's all your fault!"

"He thinks I told you?" River asked.

Amy shook her head. "He doesn't know what to think."

River shrugged. "Better than accusing you of doing something that you didn't do. You didn't know."

"But you _did,_ and you did it anyway!" Amy exclaimed.

"Yes, because I love you," River said. "I love you, and I want to be with you. That doesn't stop just because you're my mother. I've fought with it for years before finally accepting that I will love you no matter what. I just want that chance. I want the chance to be with you."

Amy huffed and crossed her arms, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I can't sneak around Rory," she said. "I want to be with you. But I also want to be with him. And he doesn't want us to be together."

"I won't make you choose between us," River said, crossing the flat to Amy and holding her hands. "But I know he might, if he hasn't already. Just know that if you choose me, that's fine. And if you don't, that's fine too. I will love you no matter what, okay?"

Amy shook her head. "I'm not supposed to love you," she whispered. "Not like that."

"But you do," River said. "And that's not a bad thing."

"Isn't it?" Amy asked.

"We're both adults," River pointed out. "At this point, I think I'm actually older than you are."

Amy scoffed. "Shut up!"

"It's true," River said with a smile. "And I want you. I've always wanted you. Understand? I love the Doctor, and I love you. Both. Equally, but in different ways. And I want to have those domestic moments with you that I could never have with him. I want you by my side. For as long as you'll have me."

Amy stared into River's eyes and River willed her to see that she meant every last word of what she said. Amy leaned forward, and River met her in the middle with a slow, tender kiss. "I won't lie to Rory," Amy said. "I can't."

"I know," River said. "But if he walks out because you love me too, then he can be the one who deals with that."

Amy sniffled. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry for snapping."

"It was a shock," River said simply. "It's all right. It's over now."

Amy bit back a sob and River hugged her close, holding her the way she had always wanted to be held as a child. She guided Amy to the couch and together they watched some bad telly, just sitting next to each other and enjoying each other's presence. When it came time for dinner, they both got up and helped each other in the kitchen. River was glad that at least Amy was with her for now. River could keep an eye on her, and if Rory wasn't going to be married to her anymore, then River didn't have to keep as close an eye on him. Less work, and more play.

God, River hoped that this would work out. Whether "this" was her and Amy, or Rory and Amy, River didn't know. But either way, she hoped it did what it was told, just this once.

Amy passed her some chopped onions and River took a knife and slid them into an awaiting pan, starting to sauté them. "Are you willing to stay with me for a couple nights?" River asked. "Just to see what you want?"

There wasn't an immediate response from Amy. She considered it, long and hard, and River appreciated that. She liked that Amy wasn't just throwing herself into this. River had a lot of time to consider whether this was what _she_ wanted as well, and she was happy that she had inherited that from her mother. "Sure," Amy said softly. "It beats going to an empty house."

River nodded. "Believe it or not, I know the feeling."

Amy looked surprised. "How?" she asked.

"There was a boy I fancied in the eighties. His name was Kenny. Sweet thing, but a little dense at times. He caught AIDS. For a while after that, I couldn't bear to go to bed because he wouldn't be there. He would be in the hospital, trying to get better."

"Did he?" Amy asked.

River smiled sadly. "It was the eighties. He didn't."

"I'm sorry," Amy said.

River sighed. "Honestly, it is what it is. I loved him, but I love you just as much, if not more. And this time, you're not going away anytime soon."

Amy smiled. "Even if we don't up together?" Worry was in her voice as she asked.

"I will still love you no matter what," River vowed. "And as long as you're happy, even if it's not with me, that's all I want for you."

Amy kissed River's cheek. "You are far too good for me," Amy mumbled into River's ear.

River turned to her and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "On the contrary, sweetie," River said. "I think _you_ are too good for _me."_

* * *

The flat River had was a one-bedroom, and one bed. The bed itself was queen size, but that still meant that Amy and River would have to share. Amy said she didn't mind, and had promised she'd come back from her place soon with her toiletries. But River still fretted. She had to wear something with the tech that could hide her wings. Amy couldn't find out about that. What if she did and she accused River of this all being a ploy to keep her close and watch over her? What if she accused River of not truly loving her in that way? River wouldn't be able to take it.

They also couldn't share a bathroom at the same time, at least not when River was showering. That would also cause problems that River didn't want to work through. River picked out a nightie that would cover everything she needed it to and headed to the bathroom to shower. The water running was so loud that she didn't hear the apartment door open, but she heard the bathroom door open and Amy call in, "River, I found my...toothbrush..."

River was frozen. She knew that Amy could see the silhouette of the wings, and River didn't know how to explain this. "How about you leave me to finish my shower and then we can talk about this?" River offered.

"Sure," Amy said slowly. "Sorry."

"It's quite all right," River said, even though she felt it was anything but. She needed to pretend everything was fine, just a while longer, just until she was alone again.

The bathroom door shut and River let out a shaky breath. God, why did everything have to be falling apart? She just wanted a simple time with Amy. It didn't have to be lifelong, and it didn't have to be the one and only type of love you saw in the cinema, but she wanted it so badly, and she only ever got one coffee and an evening with Amy before everything started to fall apart.

River turned off the water and didn't bother with the nightie, considering that Amy now knew. She folded her wings up to leave the shower, and Amy was waiting in the living room. She looked shocked, but not alarmed. "The wings are new," she said simply.

"They were a loan to me from some...suspect characters," River said carefully.

"A loan? They look attached to you," Amy said.

"They are," River said with a wince.

"What happens when you...?"

River suppressed a shudder. "I've been trying not to think about it," she admitted.

Amy shifted on her seat. "Who gave them to you?"

"I'd rather not go into that just now," River dodged.

To her mild surprise, Amy nodded. "All right. We can talk about that some other time. Are they uncomfortable? The feathers look like a few of them are folded backwards."

"A little bit," River said, rolling her shoulders.

"Come here," Amy said, gesturing for River to sit on her lap. "I can smooth them out for you."

River wasn't sure whether to be flattered or scared out of her wits. She eventually decided on thankful and walked over to sit on Amy's lap. There were some places she couldn't quite reach that Amy would be a huge help with.

Amy went through the wings carefully with her fingers, all feather-light touches and sweet caresses. She turned the feathers the right way and got a few of the ones that had been feeling loose. River tried not to shiver at every gesture, but it was hard. Especially considering that this felt extremely intimate, and it was Amy doing the preening. "Thank you," River said when the discomfort was gone, and she got off Amy's lap.

"Happy to help," Amy said, sitting back into the cushions. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay," River said.

"Really?" Amy asked skeptically. "You gained wings from a source you are unwilling to disclose, your mother came into your apartment snapping at you for loving her, and you were shaking the whole time you had your back turned to me. Want to try that again?"

River hesitated. She hated it, but Amy was right. "I'm overwhelmed," she said softly. "The people who gave me the wings...there were conditions attached, and I had no say in it. You coming in and saying I was wrong for doing what I did...I was worried you would send me away and never want to see me again. As for the shaking...I don't know," she said. "I don't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Your touch just tends to do that to me."

Amy sighed and propped her chin up in her hands. "You know, sometimes I think you're more ridiculous than the Doctor," she said with a shake of her head. "It's okay to ask for help, you know."

"Never has been before," River said, in a voice so small that she felt like she was a child again.

"Well, it is," Amy said. "What I say goes in this family and I say...it's okay to rely on others when you can't do things on your own. I want to make sure that you're safe, River. Now. Who gave you the wings? Who do I have to threaten?"

"He only gave me his codename," River sighed. "And I didn't want to press for more, especially considering I might not get to see you again if I didn't comply with what he wanted."

"Well, then, give me his codename," Amy said.

"Gabriel," River sighed. "He said he was part of some 'guardian angel' program. Bit on the nose, if you ask me."

"Very," Amy said with a small grin.

River smiled back at her. "They said I needed to look after you when the Doctor wasn't around."

"I can handle myself," Amy said, a hint of indignance in her voice.

"I know you can. They, apparently, do not," River said smoothly. "And they apparently protect 'the most important people in the universe,' which, if you ask me, is just a fancy way of saying that you can buy your way into their hearts."

"What happens when that money runs out?" Amy asked, arching her eyebrows.

"I don't care to find out," River replied.

Amy snorted. "I have a thing or two to tell them, though. Care to join me?"

"Gladly, sweetie," River said.

"Are you going to get dressed first?" Amy asked, arching an eyebrow.

River looked down, only just remembering that she was naked. "Not before you tell me whether you like what you see," she responded with a flirtatious smile.

"My genetics did you justice," Amy responded drily. "Mine _and_ Rory's. Now, come on, put some clothes on so I can chew into whoever thought this was a good idea."

River smiled and sashayed to the bedroom, glancing behind her to find Amy unashamedly staring. "I like your butt, is that a crime?" Amy asked when she locked eyes with River.

"Some would say so," River replied, heading into the room and putting on the skirt and shirt she had first worn when she came here. She wanted to look flawless when Amy tore into Gabriel. River might even say her own piece as well, but not before Amy. No, Amy would definitely have the privilege of going first.

When River left the room, Amy was already standing up and waiting. "I can't wait to give these people a piece of my mind," Amy said. "I'm furious enough that I could scream for a week."

"This will be a delight to watch," River laughed.

Amy held out her hand and River took it, before putting on the needed settings to head to the space station. When they arrived, Gabriel was already rushing over to them. "Miss Song, you can't just—" The glower Amy gave Gabriel stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Take me to your boss," Amy said sternly. _"Now."_

Gabriel gulped. "We cannot allow charges to just run around the station willy-nilly," he said.

"I'm not. Yet. But I will if you don't take. Me. To. Your. Boss," Amy warned.

River felt a little thrill go through her. Amy was incredibly capable, and it always made River more than a little pleased to see. It gave her things to think about late at night when the mood struck, and it gave her a sense of security she had never achieved with the Kovarians.

Gabriel silently gestured for the two of them to follow him and he took them to an elevator, down a few hallways, to a corner office. River whistled lowly. "Looks like whoever paid for your security _definitely_ has a lot of money."

"Whoever it is, I'll slap them silly," Amy muttered back.

River smirked. "Will you give me a shot, too?"

"If the mood strikes," Amy replied.

"Only then?" River asked. "You must really be pissed."

"Don't ever think that I'm not," Amy said. "There's _always_ a reason to be angry."

"Is it weird that I love that about you?" River asked.

Amy smiled and shook her head, hair falling into her face as Gabriel knocked on the door of the office. As soon as it was opening, Amy turned to the door, her smile dropped, and she barged into the room. "You're in charge here?!" she growled at the woman in the room.

"Who do you think you are—"

Amy held up a hand and shot back, "I think I'm the woman who is extremely pissed that you kidnapped _my daughter_ and put her up to protecting me against her will!"

River didn't realize exactly how hot she might find Amy going off might be. She watched as Amy seethed at the woman, the whole room silent. It was as if the universe had gone still.

"She is _my_ daughter, do you understand?! Mine! She doesn't do anything that she doesn't want to do, and she doesn't do anything _I_ don't want her to do! And she learned how to take care of herself from me! I don't need any sort of 'guardian angel' looking after me! I want you to return her bodily autonomy to her, I want you to give her back to me, and I want the both of us to walk out of here with no repercussions! I don't care _who_ ordered you all to keep an eye on me, I'm not appreciative of it!"

The woman stared at Amy for a long while, before she offered a nervous smile. "My apologies. I tried to tell everyone here that they really didn't need to protect the people from my past and future, but they just don't listen."

River's eyebrows shot up. "That's a new look on you."

"It is!" the woman said, pleased. "Still me, though."

Amy looked between the two. "What?" she asked.

River waved at the Doctor. "Hello, sweetie," she said. "Mum and I were going to have some fun tonight. Would you care to join us?"

"You know what? Could be fun!" the Doctor chirped.

"Wh—no! Doctor, you can't just—!"

"I can do what I want, Gabriel, I'm in charge of you!" the Doctor said.

"UNIT will never allow it!" Gabriel protested.

The Doctor shrugged. "I can pop off for an hour lunch."

"They'll revoke access to your TARDIS," Gabriel threatened.

The Doctor sighed. "Okay, then, maybe not," she hummed. "Another time, loves?"

"Works for me," River said with a wink. "I'd love to see what that new body of yours can do."

The Doctor turned to Gabriel. "Gabe, I told you to skip the wings on River, didn't I? She's very fond of her body the way it is, no modifications," the Doctor chided. "Turn her back. Now."

Gabriel sputtered. "Protocol says—"

"—To hell with protocol, or I'll quit," the Doctor threatened back. "You can't revoke access to my TARDIS if I quit!"

Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine, I will change Miss Song back. But no sneaking off to janitor's closets!"

"Not today, at any rate," the Doctor said, throwing a flirty glance at River.

River winked back and Amy looked like she had enough. "River, stop flirting with your husband...er...wife? I want attention before Rory calls after me wondering where I've gone. We don't have a lot of time considering that usually the longest he can stay away from me is a few hours."

Amy grabbed River's wrist and dragged her out of the room, while River gave the Doctor a good pair of bedroom eyes and a little wave. "Call me," she purred.

"Oh trust me, I will!" the Doctor chirped.

Gabriel followed Amy and River out, fussing over the means of removing River's wings. "So, since when is UNIT a giant corporation that owns people?" River asked drily.

"It's not. But its subcontractor, ANGELS, is," Gabriel replied simply.

"Good to know that's where I can leave a bad Yelp review," River scoffed.

Amy nodded with her. "Captures people and forces them to do dirty work against their will. Sure that will go over _great_ with the shareholders."

Gabriel turned red. "Now, now, let's not be hasty..."

"I'll be as hasty as I like," River said. "And if you're this upset over me being angry, then you have clearly never met my mother."

Gabriel stammered something unintelligible and turned back to fussing.

Amy and River shared a look. "Anything you want to do after this?" Amy asked.

"It would be nice to just go back to that flat and rest," River sighed. "I'm rather tired after the day's events."

"I don't blame you," Amy groaned. "All of this...it's a lot."

"It is," River agreed. A beat. "I know you're ultimately going to go back to Rory."

Amy didn't respond for a good minute. Then, she sighed. "Yeah, I will," she said. "It doesn't mean I don't love you..."

"But you want his more consistent love, I understand," River said simply. "Like I said, I'll love you no matter what. And if you want some good old fashioned fun..."

"I know where to find you," Amy said with a laugh. She paused. "I don't know, though...would you be willing to stay with me? Settle down and move in with me? If it meant you could have me for the rest of our lives?"

"We both know that can't happen," River said softly. "Neither of us are the settling type. Maybe you could do it with Rory, but you'd still always travel. I couldn't stand being on Earth for the rest of my lifetime. I need to keep moving."

Amy sighed, regret clear in her voice as she said, "You know, there are days I wish that we grew up normally. I got to raise you after settling down with Rory."

"There are days I wish that, too," River admitted. "They aren't often, but they happen. The best advice I can offer you is that it doesn't ever fully go away. Some may say you can grow out of it. But it's difficult, and ultimately futile, because there's a small part of you that will _always_ miss and want that."

Amy looked down at the ground. "I do...I do think I wouldn't change this, though," she said. "Given the chance. I love you, and I love getting to love you, and you loving me, and...I don't know. There's something about this sort of life that makes me happier than I could ever be with a normal family, the two kids and the grandkids one day. There's something about it that I wouldn't change for the world."

River smiled and nodded, kissing Amy's cheek. "I love you," she said softly. "So much."

Gabriel cleared his throat. "Miss Song, it is time to take you back to your timeline," he said.

"Will I actually die like you said? Or will it merely be an attempt on my life?" River asked.

"The computers said there was zero percent probability that you would survive," Gabriel said, frowning. "There's no way you could."

"There's always a way," River said with a cheeky grin.

Amy looked at River. "He said that he pulled you out of your timeline right before you were gonna die?"

River nodded.

"Where were you?" Amy asked.

"Some marketplace," River said with a shrug. "Nowhere important."

"Then he screwed up," Amy said. "I heard the Doctor and he said—"

River turned to Amy and kissed her into silence. "Spoilers, sweetie," she said with a melancholy smile. "Truth be told, I'd rather not know just yet."

"You...wouldn't?" Gabriel asked. "Not even if you could avoid your death?"

"Never," River said. "You can never avoid death, even the Doctor can't. You've seen her more often than I have at the rate she's regenerated here."

Gabriel furiously started tapping at buttons in thin air and stammered, "But—but—there have to be times..."

"None that I've found," River replied simply. "You can cheat death, and you can avoid it, but ultimately, it always comes back for you."

Gabriel huffed. "Well, why wouldn't you want to know how you're supposed to die when we grabbed you?"

"Because if the person about to kill me was one of your men, I'd kill them, you, and everyone here myself," River said simply, tilting her chin up in challenge. "Now. I do believe we have to do something about these wings?"

"The wings are what allow you to live in between one breath and the next right before your demise," Gabriel said.

Amy held up a hand. "Then, hang on, can we have just a few hours more?"

River turned to Amy with confusion. "What?" she asked.

"If I don't get to see you for a while, and there's no guarantee you'll make it out alive, I want to spend some more time with you before you go." Amy ran her hands down River's arms and River shivered. "And I'd like to spend that time alone, just the two of us."

River smirked after a few seconds. "That eager today, are we?"

"Shut up and tell angel boy over there to keep everyone out of the nearest room for a while," Amy said.

River started, "Gabriel—"

"—Conference room to the left," Gabriel said, groaning. "Be quick about it, though. There's a meeting in there in fifteen."

River turned to look at him with a confident smile lacing her words. "No promises, darling."

Amy pulled River into the nearest open door and closed it behind them, locking it. "If I'm going down for this, I'm going down in flames," Amy said simply. "I want to have you. Every last inch of you."

"I'm ready to give it to you, sweetie," River said.

The way Amy visibly shivered at those words before kissing River passionately had River very, _very_ pleased. She maneuvered her hands around to grope Amy's ass, but Amy bit her lip and used the shock to move River's arms to the table and fold her hands over the edge. "No. If anyone is in charge here, it's _me,_ understand?" Amy warned.

River couldn't even choke out a yes, just silently nodded.

Amy moved a hand from River's arms to slide up her skirt, inching agonizingly slowly closer and closer. River lowered herself down toward Amy's hand, wanting so desperately to have a touch she had dreamt about for years now. Amy moved her hand up to River's knickers, and she rubbed her thumb over River's lips through the fabric. "Do you want me to touch you, hm?" Amy asked. "Do you want that, my dear?"

"More than anything," River breathed.

Amy smiled and put her hand over River's mound, before slipping deft fingers under the knickers to feel around there. "You shave down there?" Amy asked.

"You don't?" River challenged.

"Too much work," Amy said with a shrug. "Used to, though."

River was going to mention that she remembered, before questioning if Amy knew that she was Mels from school, and elected to stay quiet for a while about that. Let Amy find out in her own time. Amy slid a finger in between River's lips and River made a high keening noise in the back of her throat. "Fuck me," she breathed, staring at Amy. "Please. Please, fuck me."

"In due time," Amy said.

She used her fingers to feel all over River, taking her sweet time. She felt at River's clit, slid around in between River's lips, before finally dipping one finger into River's cunt. River tilted her head back with a groan and didn't bother trying to hide her noisiness. After all, Amy definitely didn't care, and anyone else could fuck off.

Amy leaned forward, nibbling on the lobe of River's ear, and River shuddered against Amy's body. River could hear Amy's smile. "You like that, do you?"

River whined. She had wanted to fuck Amy for a while, and getting fucked by her was always an afterthought. But not being in charge of the situation, so to speak, having Amy take the lead—fuck, if it wasn't hot.

"I'm going to see exactly how much we can fit into you, and then see if we can fit some more," Amy murmured. "And then, maybe, I'll let you finger me before we go."

River was panting as Amy teased another finger around River, before finally sinking in. River moaned, but the moan was quickly captured by Amy's kiss. River stuck a hand down her skirt herself, and began working her clit, harder, faster. If they truly only had fifteen minutes, there was time to play around _after_ she got off. Her legs were going weak and Amy used her free arm to shove River up onto the table. "I'm going to stick a third into you, okay?" Amy asked.

"Mm-hmmm," River hummed, gasping in between when Amy used a free finger to flick at River's clit herself.

Amy stuck a third finger in, and slowly twisted her wrist around, exploring River's canal. She found River's G-spot, making River tense up and moan in pleasure again. She could feel herself getting closer, closer...but it wasn't close enough. "More, please," River all but begged. "I need more."

Amy obliged, sticking a fourth finger in and River gasped, feeling the pressure in her gut start to rise again. "Wriggle them?" she requested.

"Wh—"

"—I know what I like," River said definitively. "Wriggle them."

Amy did so and River threw her head back, gasping and her entire body shaking like a weather vane. This was better than her wildest fantasies. She pressed harder into her clit, and Amy wriggled and twisted, and River came, hard enough that she forgot to breathe for a solid ten seconds. When she came down from the high, she blinked somewhat hazily and pushed herself off the table. "You still need to be tended to," River pointed out to Amy.

"Let's move somewhere that's not about to be used, then," Amy said.

River nodded, and the two of them left the room, noticing a group of people walking down the hallway towards them. River didn't break her stride, guiding Amy to the most likely place they could get some privacy...the restroom.

They snuck inside together and River locked the door. They had three stalls and an array of sinks to themselves, with Gabriel pounding on the outside door, insisting that they had to get rid of River's wings in the next half an hour, twenty minutes, tops. River ignored him as she shimmied down Amy's leggings and knickers, and Amy hiked up her shirt. River got down on her knees, pushing at Amy's legs to get them to spread as much as they could with Amy still standing. She shoved her face into Amy's cunt, nose going directly towards her clit to rub against it. She inhaled the scent of sex and sweat, and River knew that no matter how much she loved anyone else, they would pale in comparison to how Amy smelled.

River moved her face a little lower with great reluctance, and flicked her tongue out at Amy's lips. Amy gasped, and stared transfixed at River. River winked at her before moving her tongue in between the folds and up to Amy's clit, already hot and swollen from today's activities. River moved her tongue in circles, lines, curves, zigzags, and oh, Amy moaned especially hard at the zigzags.

Continuing that shape, River grabbed onto Amy's thighs and one thought only ran through her head: _Mine._ Sure, she might be Rory's when she went back to Earth, but right here, right now, she was all River's, and River didn't care who had her next so long as River got her first. Her nails dug into Amy's skin and Amy whimpered. River flicked her tongue up and over Amy's clit again before moving down her twat to lap at some of her juices, and moving up to the clit again when she had decided she had tortured Amy enough.

River was honestly impressed at how long Amy held out; most people she did this to didn't last half as long as Amy did. River was an expert at eating people out. But eventually, Amy also came. Long, and hard, and loud, and as she sank to the floor, a shivering mess, River cradled her in her arms and touched their foreheads together. "Thank you for giving me today," River said. "No matter whether or not you'll give me tomorrow, I'm thankful for today."

"Likewise," Amy said. "You didn't have to do anything once we had gotten you out of that contract. I'm thankful for every extra second you've given me. And...if you ever know a way to have wings that aren't painful for you...I'd love to play with those sometime. It could be fun."

River gave Amy a suggestive wink. "I may know a place, sweetie. Just let me know where and when you want it."

They cleaned themselves up and exited the bathroom. Amy was sent back to Earth and River got the wings removed and sent back to that lovely little market she had been exploring. She turned around with a smile and caught a woman with a syringe in her hand right in the act of trying to stab River with it. "Better luck next time, darling," she said with a little laugh as she called, "Guards!" and got the woman taken away, kicking and screaming about how one day, she would get back at River. And River just continued on with her day, smiling like the cat who got the cream.

**Author's Note:**

> Any and all comments are appreciated.


End file.
